Meet Shannan Swindler and her family

How we turned into Worldschoolers without even knowing it!

After 2 ½ years of seeing the UK, Ireland, Switzerland, Italy, and Belgium, I’m beginning to believe that we might just be world schoolers!

2 ½ years ago I’d never even heard of the term “world schooler” even though I had been homeschooling for a number of years. We love history, science and literature, like many homeschoolers do. But when the opportunity arose for us to relocate to Scotland, we said “Yes!”. Even then, my goal was to show my kids as much of the world as we could afford and learn as much along the way as possible. But in my mind, I wasn’t a world schooler. I was just a homeschooling expat.

Now, with our home base in Scotland, we have been granted the opportunity to travel to places we would have never been able to afford to see if we were coming from the US for each of these “once-in-a-lifetime” vacations. The affordability factor has made these trips become a reality.

This doesn’t include the regular trips to Glasgow or Edinburgh, or trips that don’t require an overnight stay. When I look at this list I’m shocked at how much we have actually experienced. The museums, parks, castles, cathedrals, battlefields, hikes, nature walks, canal rides, government buildings, theatres, bike rides, berry picking, outdoor theatre, High Street shopping. The list goes on and on. I’m stunned at the reality of my world schooling & I don’t feel like I was even trying.

Invest in learning wherever you are.

How do you put a price on that type of learning? How do you quantify the value of that type of education? Well, you can’t really. From our current vantage point, the value is in the family time and the curiosity that travel inspires. The Questions that my kids ask me…Like this week, prior to a 3-day archaeology camp, my daughter asked me, “How much math do you think I need to know to be an archaeologist?” She loves history & archaeology, but math….not so much. But what a validating question. She’s even now at the blossoming age of 12 trying to find her passions and how they match up with her perceived challenging areas (she’s actually doing far better than she thinks. She just doesn’t like that math doesn’t come as easy as other things). So we press on; ask questions, seek answers and go on adventures. This is our new normal. We have redefined ourselves as world schoolers.

Come join the fun!

You might be thinking that you can’t do this. But I believe you can. It’s about looking out your front window at what is in your world and setting out for an adventure to understand it at a deeper level that you did the day before. No matter where you live. With technology and a spirit of adventure, every family that desires to can be a worldschooling family! Add a passport to the mix and you have the most ambitious adventure ahead of you. Find your passion at the crossroads of adventure & education. Come join us as we take on the world, one step at a time!

Bio

Hi, I’m Shannan. It’s true. My travel motto is “Have Passport. Will Travel”. I can pack a travel itinerary the same way I pack my carry-on. Tight, exciting, and on budget. That’s what I’m talking about! My first trip to Europe was in 1995. We thought it was going to be one of those “once-in-a-lifetime” adventures. Little did we know that we were just re-orienting our compass and charting a whole new course. Now, after a number trips to Europe (I lost count), I live in Scotland with my favourite travel buddy and 2 travel apprentices.